Author's Note
Disclaimer: I do not own “My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic,” or its characters. They are property of Hasbro Studios and DHX Media.
Author’s Note: If you read my recent fanfic, “Unwanted Guests,” then you will notice that at some point during the story that Tirek mentions to Princess Cadence that she was sent to Tartarus with Celestia and Luna for killing King Sombra in “The Crystal Empire.” This is the story of how Tirek learns of his friend’s death and develops a desire for revenge against Princess Cadence in addition to Princess Celestia and Princess Luna.
Horn of Sombra
“Horn of Sombra”
By TwilightSparkle3562
It seemed that it was a stroke of luck did Tirek manage to escape the dungeon known as Tartarus. For one thousand years he stayed in the basement of Equestria, with only the prison’s notorious inmates and Cerberus, the three headed dog for company. He came to Equestria with the intention of stealing all the magic of ponies for himself and for a while it seemed that he was on the verge of achieving that goal. However, thanks to his brother, Scorpan, he was captured and sent to Tartarus for his crimes.
Now, thanks to Cerberus, he was free and determined to finish what he had started. As soon as Tirek escaped from his bonds, he immediately drained the magic of two guardsponies and knew that if he was going to succeed at his task, then he would have to find some help.
“I must go to the Crystal Empire and see Sombra,” he thought to himself as he drained nearly everypony he came across. “He will provide me with what I need to achieve my goal.”
Soon, he arrived in the frozen north of Equestria, near his destination. But, little did he know that as soon as he neared the empire, he came across what appeared to be a large red horn lying in the snow. Almost immediately, he recognized it as Sombra’s and a look of sorrow came onto Tirek’s face as he ran over to the horn, picking it up with his claws.
“Oh, my dear friend,” sighed Tirek, holding the horn to his chest. “After all you have done for me all these years, you have finally been defeated by the ponies that once served you.”
Tirek then felt a strong gust of wind blow towards him as he tried to keep his long black cloak over his body. The strong gusts of wind were not helping him get warm, but there was a far more cold feeling burning deep down inside of him. It was a feeling that Tirek had felt for the first time since he was imprisoned and betrayed by his own brother.
“Don’t worry, Sombra,” Tirek said to himself, burying himself in the snow. “When I find who did this to you, I will make sure that pony pays for what has happened to you.”
Suddenly, a strange figure came in front of Tirek and a large black hoof touched Tirek’s shoulder, causing the newly escaped Centaur to look up and see what appeared to be a ghostly figure of a pony with a long red cape and purple eyes.
“Tirek,” said the figure, talking a low deep voice. “It’s good to see you again, although I wish it was under better circumstances.”
“Sombra,” gasped Tirek, looking up at the ghost. “Is it really you? How did you…?”
“My body has been destroyed,” replied Sombra, who then turned into his shadow form. “But, my spirit survives. I can no longer live among those of this land as I am no longer mortal.”
Tirek then felt another gust of wind blow towards him as he stood in the shadow form of his friend. The one pony who Tirek entrusted with his life was no longer living and Tirek demanded to know why Sombra was in this position.
“But,” continued Sombra, taking notice of his horn. “You possess my horn, the only part of my body to have survived.”
“I found it in the snow,” replied Tirek, presenting the horn to Sombra. “But, I cannot help but wonder how you were overthrown and killed. Who did this to you?”
Sombra’s shadow was silent for a moment, but then, the eyes closed for a moment before being reopened.
“The one that my subjects called the crystal princess did this to me,” growled Sombra, a hint of disgust in his voice. “She activated the power of the crystal heart and allowed my subjects to destroy my body before I had a chance to reclaim what was truly mine.”
Tirek was shocked as he didn’t know that Sombra had been overthrown by Celestia and Luna. After all, the last time that the two friends had met was when Sombra gave Tirek and his brother, Scorpan, shelter while they traveled across Equestria. It was a slow relationship at first, but it soon grew into a mutual friendship when Sombra learned of Tirek’s intentions to rule all of Equestria.
“You were overthrown?” gasped Tirek. “But, I thought you were indestructible and that nopony could overthrow you. You said so yourself.”
“Aye, but the royal pony sisters stripped me of my title and power,” retorted Sombra, his eyes going to a crossing look. “It was because of them that I lost my body and it was because of them that I ended in the deepest part of the frozen north. When I finally seized the chance to retake what was mine, the crystal princess intervened and made me who I am now.”
Tirek’s throat grew dry for a moment upon hearing his friend’s story. He then realized that what Sombra was saying was indeed true, that they were both denied of their goals by the same two princesses. This gave Tirek an idea of how he could avenge his friend’s situation.
“Then something needs to be done,” said Tirek. “These ponies whom you speak of, they were the ones who stripped me of my freedom and the one whom is called the Crystal Princess did this to you, Sombra. As soon as I get my power back, I will make them all suffer for what they did to us both.”
Tirek then raised his friend’s horn and placed high into the air.
“I swear by the might of this horn,” cried Tirek, his raspy voice rising with his anger. “That I will avenge your death, Sombra and my imprisonment if it’s the last thing I do.”
This caused the ghost of Sombra to chuckle evilly as his ghost quietly disappeared from view, smiling with delight.
Tirek now had a mission to fulfill: steal all the magic of Equestria and punish the princesses that did this to him and his friend, King Sombra.
